Santini-Aichel is renowned for its unique combination of Baroque and Gothic styles

Prague - Jan Blažej Santini-Aichel is undoubtedly one of the most significant Baroque architects. His buildings, characterized by a masterful combination of Gothic and Baroque elements, are spread across the country and belong to the most important Czech monuments. Over 23 years of fruitful architectural activity, he designed nearly a hundred sacred, palatial, and agricultural buildings. He worked for numerous prominent and feudal dignitaries. He demonstrated a refined sense of integrating buildings into the landscape. He created and refined spaces with excellent acoustics and extraordinary lighting characteristics. In the Czech Republic, a website has been established in his honor by admirers of his work. The architect of Italian origin Jan Blažej Santini-Aichel died 300 years ago, on December 7, 1723, in Prague. He was only 46 years old.

The monograph by Mojmír Horyna lists a total of 80 architectural works, for which his authorship is considered indisputable, meaning archival documentation exists for these works, or they are generally accepted as his. According to the same source, authorship is disputed or excluded for another 116 works.

The most significant building in the style of Baroque Gothic in the Czech Republic is considered to be Santini's pilgrimage church of St. John of Nepomuk on Zelená Hora in Žďár nad Sázavou. The church was consecrated in September 1722 and added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in December 1994.

Other of his peak works include the monastery churches in Želiv and Křtiny, the reconstruction of the Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary in the Kladruby Monastery, the restoration of the Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary in Sedlec near Kutná Hora, and the Karlova Koruna Castle near Chlumec nad Cidlinou.

Regarding Santini's genius, art historian Mojmír Horyna stated: "Santini’s Zelená Hora is a poem... while the buildings of the twentieth century are merely slogans." And historian Vít Vlnas said about Santini: "Unlike other famous architects of Czech Baroque, Santini remained practically forgotten and unknown for many years. If his multifaceted work speaks to us once again today, it is undoubtedly due to the timeless nature of the architecture, whose message corresponds in a certain way with our own inner world. The greatest expert on Santini, Professor Mojmír Horyna, nicely wrote that 'the idea of architecture as an ideal reality was superior to everything else for Santini and gave him considerable freedom in working with individual formal means.' However, behind this freedom stood enormous inner discipline and intellectual rigor."

Baroque Gothic, which combines dynamic Baroque with the expression means of Gothic, found its supporters primarily in enlightened ecclesiastical circles.

Santini used some specific symbols and elements in his buildings, such as stars, circles, and numbers (three, five, seven, 12...). For example, the church in Žďár nad Sázavou is designed with the symbol of the number five: five chapels, five angels, five pylons. In addition, the floor plan of the temple is in the shape of a five-pointed star. The number five, which recurs multiple times in the construction, symbolizes the five wounds of Christ, but also the five letters in Latin "tacui" (I was silent; a reference to John of Nepomuk).

Santini also worked with light. He based this on the Baroque interpretation of light as a symbol of divine presence. Therefore, there is sometimes talk of "sacred light." In the church in Sedlec near Kutná Hora (and elsewhere), he also built a circular staircase resembling a snail. According to experts, Santini was a genius in how he combined architecture with symbols and symmetry.

He was born on February 4, 1677, in Prague into the family of a respected burgher, a stonemason of Italian origin. His grandfather, a mason from the South Tyrolean municipality of Aichel, settled in Prague, and Santini's ancestors participated in the construction of St. Vitus Cathedral. Although he was partially paralyzed from birth, he trained as a stonemason and also studied painting. After completing a journey to Rome, he began designing and building his own structures around 1700 (when he was 23 years old).

His first commission was given to him by Abbot Wolfgang Lochner, who entrusted him with overseeing the construction of the convent of the Cistercian monastery in Zbraslav. For this, among other things, he was honored in 1704 with a pair of black horses worth 30 gold coins. In 1702, Santini was commissioned to design and oversee the construction of the monastery church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary and St. John the Baptist in Sedlec near Kutná Hora. In 1704, he was involved in the reconstruction of the Chapter Deanery at Prague Castle.

Santini was very educated for his time. He could read and write in Czech, German, Italian, and Latin. In addition, he was knowledgeable in geometry and Kabbalah, for example.

He lived only 46 years and was buried in the Church of St. John under the Rock in Prague.